


Just Practice- Remix

by ItsNotYouItsMimi



Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: Angst, F/M, a lil, kissing. like a lot, ok i don't think kissing counts as nsfw but apparently some people consider it to be so???, yeah if that bothers u... this remix is Not For You
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-11-30
Updated: 2016-11-30
Packaged: 2018-09-03 09:53:51
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,414
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8707789
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ItsNotYouItsMimi/pseuds/ItsNotYouItsMimi
Summary: Ladybug needs help in a certain endeavor, and she knows just the Chat for the job.





	

**Author's Note:**

  * For [fabulousanima](https://archiveofourown.org/users/fabulousanima/gifts).
  * Inspired by [Just Practice](https://archiveofourown.org/works/5180396) by [fabulousanima](https://archiveofourown.org/users/fabulousanima/pseuds/fabulousanima). 



> THIS REMIX IS KINDA BAD BC THERE'S NO POSSIBLE WAY I COULD'VE IMPROVED IT THE ORIGINAL IS TOO GOOD!!!!!!! HOT FUCKIN DAMN
> 
> yeah i LOVE THE ORIGINAL... GOOD SHIT ITS THE BEST
> 
> i didn't really mess with the dialogue bc i felt like that would be too much but i did tweak it here and there!!!! anyways enjoy

Marinette hadn't really given much thought to school dance and Adrien until they were staring her right in the face.

Figuratively, of course.

Alya had it all planned out. She told Marinette about her plans to bring Nino out to the garden and make out passionately with him. Marinette was instantly envious of such a romantic and well-planned idea.

"Well, if you want to get Adrien alone so much, then just drag him outside and kiss his dumb face," she suggested, a grin tugging at her lips.

"His face is not dumb," Marinette scolded her friend; but as she thought about it, the prospect became more and more terrifying, namely-

"I don't know how to kiss," she whispered, mortified. Her hands nervously ticced over her face. 

"Sure you do. You shove your mouth against theirs and then you stick your tongue in there." Alya stuck her tongue out in demonstration. "I coulb show you, if you want."

Marinette threw a pillow at Alya's red curls. She ducked and came up laughing.

"In all seriousness," Marinette said soberly, "What will I do if I really do want to kiss him and I can't?"

"I dunno. You should practice or something."

"Practice," Marinette mused. "Interesting."

 

So she while she sits with Chat Noir after patrol, she patiently waits for the right moment to ask.

As the stars pop out and twinkle cheerfully and the sky fades to a milky dusk, Ladybug looks over to him and chews her lip while she thinks of a good way to pose the question.

"Can I ask you something?"

Chat promptly looks up, and the clarity of the Parisian lights reflected in his green eyes is startling.

"Sure."

He seems a little uneasy.

Ladybug mentally preps herself as she says with a little exhale, "There's been something I've been meaning to... to practice."

He regards her with intense curiosity.

"I... really want to be better at it. I don't know who... I just need help. You'll help me, won't you, Chat?"

A pleased smirk works its way onto his (regrettably kissable) lips. "Of course. Anything for you, My Lady."

Flirty and ridiculous though he may be, he's still a helpful and genuinely nice friend.

She almost forgets what she wants to ask. She's caught up in imagining the taste of his lips against hers and the feeling of his tongue tasting hers and him.

"There's this boy that I really, really like," she begins, clasping her hands together. "I want to ask him to a dance in the future and I want... I want to kiss him."

That's an understatement. She'd do anything to get to kiss him.

"After the dance," she continues, allowing herself to get swept away in her imagination. "In front of the fountain.  That will go off in a thousand beautiful directions and make an arch over–"  She blushes and shuts herself up before she starts rambling.

"The point is, I want to be good at it when it happens, and I've never kissed anyone before."

Chat raises his eyebrows in surprise. 

"I know it might be too much to ask... but could you help me practice?  I know you must have kissed plenty of girls, and well... what's one more?"

It takes him a long time to answer. A worryingly long time, but when he finally opens his mouth to answer, his cute kitty ears are still drooping.

"Well, if that's what My Lady wants, how can I say no?  I'm happy to share my expertise," he replies with an odd smile.

You're an idiot, she mentally chides him, placing her hands on her hips. "Don't rub it in, kitty cat. Not all of us are so lucky in love."

He seems almost scared of her, for reasons she can't fathom, so she leans in slightly and takes a deep breath before kissing him.

It's not anything like she's imagined. It's millions of times better. She can barely feel herself anymore and she is painfully aware of him, his lips on hers and his minty fresh breath and his hands that are curling around her waist. 

It's over soon, way too soon. The moment they break away she's longing for more. She shouldn't be feeling this way, she only wanted to practice, this has nothing to do with him.

All the same, she can't help but to wonder:

"So how was that, Chat? Am I any good?"

He is silent for a very long time before finally responding.

"I think you'll need more practice."

 

She always regrets asking him each time. She feels like she's bothering him and she secretly suspects he's only humoring her because he wants to do something nice for her. Every time she pulls away, he seems a little more vacant, a little more wistful. She can't possibly imagine that he derives enjoyment from kissing her over and over again, but she wants more than anything to be ready for Adrien at the dance.

She tries to justify herself. "Just for practice," she repeats. "Just for practice."

Is she convincing herself or Chat Noir?

 

She's almost gotten used to kissing him. It's as though every patrol they kiss just as a routine. A nasty part of her wants to keep doing this forever, and to just keep kissing that silly cat until he couldn't breathe, but even in her romantically disillusioned state she knew that was wrong. It was wrong, and abusive, and leading him on. 

So as she kisses him for what she suspects to be the last time, she pulls away and looks him straight in the eyes, trying to ignore how disproportionately flushed her cheeks are.

"Chat, I really can't thank you enough.  I feel so much more confident than I did before.  I've been so shy in front of this boy before, but at least I know now that if he says yes and we go to the dance, I won't be terrible at kissing," Ladybug says earnestly.

"Yes, what a relief," he agrees, blinking as though the night is bright.

"I really appreciate it," she continues. "I think I'm ready."

Mustering up her courage, she turns to him and declares. "I don't need to practice anymore. Thank you, Chat."

His eyes are wide and Ladybug wonders if she's made a mistake. Are those tears welling up in his eyes?

But then he blinks and pulls a weak smile, one that doesn't fool her for a second. 

"Anything for you, My Lady."

 

*******

 

Ladybug can't help but to feel like she's done something wrong.

She originally convinced herself that cutting their kissing sessions off would be better for both of them, but what with the mooning glances Chat keeps stealing at her lips and her own feelings of withdrawal, she's not sure anymore. Maybe they could've just kept kissing and kissing and never stopped--

And then what? Be smooch buddies? Battle partners don't kiss as a hobby. That's what people who dated each other do. Would she have to date Chat Noir in order to keep kissing his perfectly soft lips and tasting his minty tongue?

Every time she pulled away, he seemed a little more reluctant. She couldn't have kept leading him on like this. It wouldn't have helped either of them.

But she kept succumbing to her own greed and pleasure, her own weak will, and she can't help but to hate herself and to feel so sorry for Chat.

 

Marinette has been apprehensive about this for what seems like ages, but there's no point in stalling; if she waits too long, Adrien will surely already have a date.

As she slowly meanders up to Adrien, she mentions this to Alya, who giggles and agrees, "Oh, yeah. Haven't you heard? About ten girls have already asked him. He turned them all down."

Marinette's face goes pale. "Wh-what? But-- then that means he definitely won't want me, out of anyone, and oh my gosh what am I thinking this is the worst idea I've ever had what am I going to do he's just going to turn me down and I'll cry for days and be all alone at the dance and everyone will laugh at me and I will become a social outcast and die alone-"

"Girl, you're overthinking it. Just go up and ask him." Alya gives her friend a hearty shove.

"Alya, NO-" she tries to protest, but before she register what's happened she's standing in front of Adrien, who has snapped out of his spacey daze in surprise.

"H-hey, Adrien!" she stutters, trying to muster up a grin. "I, uh, I know you haven't been considering it but I just wanted to ask, uh, if you'd like to go to- to the dance with me?" 

He blinks, as if he hasn't just been asked this same question several times already.

"You want to go to the dance together?"

Marinette nods, a bit confused. Has he not been aware of what is seemingly the only topic that anyone will talk about?

"Yeah, sure," he says slowly, as if he isn't quite sure of what exactly he's saying. "That sounds fun."

"Really?" Marinette gasps, her voice cracking. 

"Yeah. Nino and Alya are going and it'll be fun in a group. Right?"

"Yes!" she almost yells, and then covers her mouth with shame. Why can't she just have a normal conversation with him? "Sorry. Yes, I think that sounds like a lot of fun."

She scurries back to Alya with a sense of some sort of accomplishment, having gotten through the interaction without doing anything horribly embarrassing, but then the implications of what she's just said click in.

"Adrien is going to the dance with ME," she hyperventilates, shaking Alya's shoulders. 

"Told you you could do it," Alya laughs. "Come on, you don't give yourself enough credit."

"He seemed so sad, though," she notes. "Like someone's just cut off ties with him or something. He seems lonely."

"I know someone who can fix that," Alya suggests. "I stand by what I said before: kiss his stupid face until he can't feel it."

"You're very helpful, Alya," she says sarcastically, but she is seriously considering it.

 

The night of the dance arrives, and she is still in disbelief. 

She has put on her best makeup and even sewn herself a purple gown. She feels extremely pretty, but she will probably pale in comparison with Adrien.

She's already met up with Alya and Nino, and as she sees a familiar jet-black limousine pull up, she steels herself and calls out "Adrien!"

He turns and they rush towards him, Alya dragging Marinette.

"Here's your date!" Alya announces. "Doesn't she look great?"

"Yeah, you look very pretty tonight," he agrees, and Marinette just about melts.

It seems so odd to see him in formal attire, but somehow he pulls it off-- and looks even better than he does normally, if that's even possible. Marinette longs to grab his tie and pull him in for a kiss, but she restrains.

"So do you!" she gushes instead, and then blushes. "I mean, you look-"

"Let's go inside," Alya prompts. "Come on, boys."

 

At first, Marinette still can't believe this is happening, and is horribly awkward.

But as the night continues, she starts to realize that Adrien's just a regular boy. She finds herself even cracking jokes and flirting a little. Whatever he had been preoccupied with seems not to be bothering him as much, and while he's still a little vacant, he seems to appreciate Marinette's friendly conversation.

They end up dancing with Nino and Alya, and while Nino shows how to dip, Adrien shows how to twirl. Marinette is blushing madly when he pulls her close, and can't help but to grin.

At her smile, a strange look of recognition resides in his eyes, but it disappears before she can process it.

A few songs afterwards, a slow dance comes on, but Marinette is exhausted and doesn't think she can handle a slow dance with Adrien Agreste himself. Too romantic, too intimate.

"Let's get some air, I'm hot," she suggests, and he nods.

She leads him into the garden, and they slowly walk among the roses hand in hand. Adrien keeps laughing at her jokes and has lost the depressed aura he's been carrying around for weeks. Throughout the conversation, Marinette keeps her sights set on the fountain she's been planning to kiss under. Adrien remains oblivious, and her hands start to shake. Is she really going to kiss him?

As they draw upon the fountain, she turns to him and makes intense eye contact, searching that emerald green.

"Adrien," she begins, and he squeezes her hand. "I've had a really great time tonight."

"Me too, Marinette," he agrees, and her heart starts pounding ever faster.

It's now or never, she thinks to herself, and continues, "Thank you so much for coming with me, I had such a good time, I really can’t thank you enough–"

Adrien is watching her ramble and play with her hair with nervousness, and she doesn't know why he's still so calm, and as she continues to look directly at him a hint of guilt seems to flicker across his face, but why is he feeling guilty?--

I'm doing this.

I'm really doing this.

And just like Alya advised, she kisses his stupid face.

It's just like kissing Chat; he tilts his head and they lapse into a gentle yet full-on kiss, that seems so familiar and yet so pleasing at the same time, and it feels so much like Chat's tongue, how it's so minty fresh and this feels so familiar why does it feel so familiar?

Her eyes snap open and she jerks backward as Adrien does the same, searching her. God, that green is so beautiful, so hauntingly beautiful. His cute kitten-like nose is twitching with... with fear? No, with surprise. His soft and by now familiar lips are trembling and she wants badly to place a hand on his shoulder, but she's afraid to touch him as she's scared he will run away. Her small body begins to tremble.

Personally, she feels just as ready to bolt as he seems.

A pause that seems to last a thousand years, and then he licks his lips and shakily utters two words that she doesn't want to hear, that she dreads to hear.

"My Lad-?"

She runs as fast as her legs will carry her, hiding behind a tree and collapsing as she trembles uncontrollably.

"Chaton," she whispers, staring at her hands, and burying her face in them.

 

***********

 

School is hell, Akuma fighting is hell, life is hell and everywhere Marinette looks Adrien and Chat Noir are there, and they're hell too.

Every day at school is so unbearably uncomfortable. She wants nothing more than to be away from him, as far away as possible so she doesn't have to think about what she's done and its consequences. She doesn't want to think about the broken look on his face as she fled from the fountain, or the broken look on his face as she told him she didn't need to practice kissing him anymore. She feels so horrible but she can't bring herself to do anything.

Akuma attacks are especially hell. She doesn't want to look at him and be reminded of what she's said to him and how she's used him. She wishes she could run away from him just as she did at the dance, but Hawkmoth didn't care about hurt feelings. He sent out Akumas whether she liked it or not.

She finds it harder and harder to enjoy things when her head is constantly filled with regret and guilt. In fact, she ends up stabbing her finger with her sewing machine as she's wallowing in hate and self-pity.

"Marinette," Tikki chides, "I think you should talk to Chat Noir about this. It won't do any good to avoid him. You'll be so distracted, you'll never figure things out."

"I know," she sighs. "I'm just scared to talk to him."

Tikki raises an eyebrow.

"What?" she protests. "He probably hates me after everything I've done. Plus, what if he doesn't listen and I just make things worse?"

"Oh, come on," Tikki scolds. "You know that won't happen. I know you can talk to him, you're just procrastinating."

"So what if I am?" she responds defensively.

"Marinette, please," Tikki begs. "I really think it would do you some good to talk with him."

"I don't want to," she groans.

"It's your job as Ladybug to be efficient and effective when getting rid of Akumas, and judging by your newest bruises, it doesn't look like you're doing that too well."

Marinette sheepishly touches one of her bruises, trying to adjust her clothing to hide some others.

"You need to be in sync with Chat, or you're no good. For the sake of Paris, you have to talk to him and smooth everything out. Please, Marinette," Tikki implores.

"All right," she sighs, and as she sucks on her finger to stop the blood she hears a crash from outside her window.

"Must be an akuma," she decides, and transforms as she hops out of the window.

The battle is still very awkward and dull, but at Tikki's insistent whisper she calls to him at the end. 

"Wait!" she cries, and he whips around.

"Are you hurt?" he asks, seemingly unable to think of any other reason why she'd address him.

"Chat... I want to talk to you," she begs, and just as she says it her earrings beep and Tikki flies out.

She is barely containing her trembling hands, but she tries her best to assume good posture and bites her lip with fear. "Chat, I'm... I'm so sorry. I... What I did was wrong."

"What do you mean?"

"I knew... I knew you would say yes when I asked you for help because I knew you liked Ladybug.  I really was nervous, and I... but I thought it wouldn't... I didn't take your feelings into account.  I just wanted what I wanted and I... I didn't want to think about what you wanted," she admits, and once it's out of her mouth and he's heard it she suddenly feels a lot better. "At first, I told myself it wasn't a big deal, you would get– get over it.  I thought you would just... bounce back.  But you didn't, and I felt so awful.  But I was totally focused on my goal, and I told myself that after the dance, after I... got what I wanted, I'd focus on making it up to you.  Apologizing to you.  But then..."

Chat's eyes gleam, and as Marinette just keeps rambling and apologizing and tripping over her words, she finally realizes what it is she wants to say.

"...if given the choice," she admits, "Marinette would rather give up Adrien than Ladybug lose Chat Noir." She pauses, and adds, "If that's okay with you."

And Chat is embracing her, his grip so tight she's scared her blood circulation will cut off. Her eyes well up with tears. He clings to her as if she's the only solid thing in this world, and she hears the beep of his Miraculous, knowing that he's no longer Chat.

"What if you could have both?" he murmurs.

Marinette's heart is beating frenziedly. "I'd love that too," she replies softly.

And as they finally pull away, she looks up into his rich green eyes, and says, "I guess we still have a lot to learn about each other."

"Yeah..." Adrien agrees. "We should take it slowly.

"Then again, there are some things we do already know work well," she points out.

"Very well," he says quickly, as though he's nervous.

"Things we're pretty good at," she continues slyly.

"V-very good at."

She wants to grab him and make out with him scandalously, but she smiles and says, "There's a possibility we could, maybe, potentially-"

"Marinette, I really wanna kiss you," Adrien confesses, and immediately blushes. Marinette's heart is pounding within her chest.

"Well, good," she says carefully, making sure not to mess it up. "Because I really want to kiss you back."

And as she finally grabs his dumb face and kisses him as Alya recommended so long ago, a certain hunger that she's been carrying around has been satiated; she is euphoric and her nervousness has dissipated.

It's the best kiss she's ever had, and it was worth the practice.

**Author's Note:**

> HOPE I DID U PROUD FABULOUSANIMA..... I HOPE I DID U PROUD


End file.
